Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-03-11
RAILROAD COLLISION NEAR NORTH
FIELD.
Report of the Railroad Commissioners as
to Its Cause and Results.


MONTPELIER March 4, 1887.
In the matter of the head collision on
the Central Vermont railroad between
Northfeld and Montpelier Junction. Feb
ruary Is, 1884,
This collision caused the wreck of two
locomotives and baggage car, broke in
the end of one passenger car, wrecked
freight car and load of hogs-llilling six
or eight of them, and injured, though not
seriously, Baggage Master Henry G..
Moody. 1t occurred in this way Passen-
ger train No. SO, bound north from White
River junction to st. Adams, left North
field half hour late, but having the right
of the road, did so properly. Through
freight No. >, Wallace w. Ward, engineer,
with 10 cars, was bound south from st.
Adams and arrived at Montpelier June
ton four hours late. 1t was under orders,
received at Bolton, to meet engine Bing
ham at MiddleseX and train No. 4 at North
field which orders were complied with as
to engine Bingham. Also, trains No 50
and 81 extra, bound south, passed while
train No. 3 was at Mont pelier Junction
sided on the south line of the T. there.
AS soon as these trains had pissed, and
while Conductor Fanpuf of train No. 5,
was in the telegraph Office to look for tele
man track, left for Mortified without
him, and had been gone about 10 minutes
before he discovered its departure. The
result was the head collision, with the
consequences above noted, at the gravel
pit about four miles south of Montpelier
junction.
When Engineer Ward, rounding the
curve there, saw the approaching passen-
ger train, he reversed his engine, shut off
steam and he and his fireman jumped
from their locomotive in time to save their
lives. Engineer Muzzey of the passenger
train was running his locomotive without
working steam, being on down grade and
instantly applied the air brakes, reversed
his engine and jumped tAerefrom with his
fireman barely in time to escape death.
Baggagemaster Moody's escape alive, as
stated, was almost miraculous.
There can be no question as to where
the blame rests in this case.
|. Engineer Ward is clearly guilty of
negligence and conduct wholly regardless
of duty and rules well understood by him.
He probably did not know that he was
leaving his train conductor at Montpelier
junction, but he did know that he had no
hight to go forward on the trunk line with
out written order to that effect from the
train dispatcher at St. Adams He knew
that passenger train No. IS had the right
of the road and that it had not arrived,
| though it was overdue. He testities be
iOlc ohe ooalu W al IHtS anu says: IL
was because left Montpelier junction on
the time of No. 5S, and 1t is due to the fact
that entirely forgot about No. So His
honesty in the full confession of his fear
full error is commendable, but the forget
fulness is without excuse. The accident
was the natural result of Needless dsobe-
dience of well understood rules in respect
to which fOrgetfulness was the groSsest
negligence.
2. His fireman and forward brakeman
were in the engine with him. They are
not blameless. They should have remind
ed him of his dangerous blunder They
did not do So The rules of the railroad
admitted to be understood by them, in
culpate them as bamewOrthy next to the
engineer This accident came about with
fearful danger to the lives and limbs of
many passengers and trainmen, because
men of tried capacity violated well defined
and understood rules of duty
The board takes this occasion to quote
for the consideration of men having the
lives of the travelling public and their as
sOciate employees in their keeping the fol-
lowing statute law, the enforcement of
which is likely to be recommended to the
officers of the law for future negligence of
this character on the part of train opera
tors
"When an engineer fireman or other
agent of a railroad corporation is guilty
of negligence, or carelessness, whereby an
injury is done to person or corporation,
be shall be punished by Imprisonment not
more than one year or by fine not more
than $1,000
By order of the Board,
ALFRED +. WATSON,
Clerk